Locking-plate for the rails of bedsteads.



e. M. DONALDSON. LOOKING PLATE FOR THE RAILS 0F BEDSTBADS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

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GEORGE M. DONALZDSON,

OF WYNNE, ARKANSAS.

LOCKING-PLATE FOR THE RAILS OF BEDS'I'EADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed May 26, 1909. Serial No. 498,484.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. DONALD- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Wynne, in the county of Cross and State of Arkansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking-Plates forthe Rails of Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in looking plates for the rails andslats of bedsteads, and the object of the invention is to provide atoothed plate, the teeth of which are struck up from said plate upon theupper and lower surfaces thereof and having a slight pitch orinclination in opposite directions, those upon the upper surface havinga pitch upwardly and those upon the lower surface downwardly.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of the teeth of the plate as will behereinafter more in detail described and the asserted noveltyparticularly pointed out in the claim.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the bed rail and slats showing mylocking-plates in position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the bed railsand side-boards also showing plates in position. Fig. 3 is a plan viewof the locking-plate and teeth. Fig. 4; is an edge view of the plate andteeth, and Fig. 5 is an end view of the same.

Similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings by letters: A represents a portion of abedstead of the ordinary construction composed of the sideboards, railsand slats which form herein no part of my invention having my lockingplate applied thereto.

D designates a detachable rectangular locking-plate interposed betweenthe ends of the slats and provided with a multiple number of teeth Estruck up from both the upper and lower surfaces of the plate or beingformed integrally therewith, and disposed in series laterally thereonand at predetermined distances apart, the points of the teeth upon theupper surface having a pitch or inclination slightly upwardly, and thoseupon the lower surface a corresponding pitch or inclination downwardlyin an opposite direction to those of the former, and which is shownmoreclearly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The function of the locking-plate is double acting, the action of theteeth formed upon the upper surface of the plate and those formed uponthe lower surface taking hold of or gripping the under surface of theslats and the upper surface of the rails simultaneously. From thepeculiar construction and disposition of these teeth upon the upper andlower surface of the plate D and the slight pitch given the pointsthereof in opposite directions they have a bracing action one upon theslats and the other upon the rails by embedding themselves deeply intothe rails and slats, thus holding the slats rigidly in place to thelocking plate D and theplate to the rails of the bedstead and anydisplacement of the slats is thereby effectually prevented. Eithersurface of the locking-plate can be used to connect the slats rigidlywith the rails. From two to six locking-plates are used for eachbedstead, they being applicable to either iron or wooden bedsteads.

My device as herein described will readily be seen combines simplicityand durability in its construction, and at the same time avoids all ofthe usual annoyances of falling out of place of the slats from the railswhich usually attend bedsteads of the ordinary construction, my devicealways maintaining its proper relation to the slats and rails, as theseries of teeth in the upper surface of the device serve to brace thoseformed upon the lower surface. This being the result of the pitch inopposite directions of the teeth formed upon both surfaces, the moreweight there is placed upon the bed the deeper the points of the teethenter the slats and rails of the bedstead.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The locking plate for the slats of bedsteads provided with teeth uponthe upper and lower surfaces of the plate and formed integral therewith,the points of the series of teeth upon the upper surface of the platehaving a slight pitch in one direction to oppose the pull of the slatand. those of the In testimony whereof I affix my signature series upontge lewer surface of'thePlete in presence of two Witnesses;

an 0 osite irection t0 0 ose the 111 0' the the said upper an zl lowerse iies of GEORGEM' DQNALDSON teeth being in alinement with each other,Witnesses: V

Substantially as descrihed and for the purpose C. A. SMITH,

set forth. A. THAOKER.

